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Workspaces will migrate to a new and improved query experience, starting the week of May 15, 2024. For more, see this help doc.

Data edits and notes allow for persistent modifications and annotations alongside queried data without altering the original datasource. By linking modifications to a unique "id" column, edits and notes remain accurate and consistent across query refreshes.

Data edits

With data edits, changes to the output from queried data will persist even after refreshing the query.

To activate data edits:

1. Run a query. Identify the cell that needs modification from the queried output.
2. Select the “Edits and notes” button in the bottom left hand corner of the Connections panel.
3. To maintain edits to queried data between query runs, specify a column that uniquely identifies each row in the data. This is usually an “id” column.
4. After specifying the “id” column, make changes to the queried output. These will persist as queries refresh.
5. Remove data edits by clicking on “Edits and notes” button and selecting the trash can icon. Note: data edits will not write back to your datasource.

Data notes

With data notes, you can add notes in the columns next to your queried data that will persist in the right row upon refreshing your query.

To activate data notes:

1. Run a query.
2. Select the “Edits and notes” button in the bottom left hand corner of the Connections panel.
3. To maintain notes in line with data between query runs, specify a column that uniquely identifies each row in the data. This is usually an “id” column.
4. After specifying the “id” column, add text to the column adjacent to the queried output (or after the last calculated column). These will persist as queries refresh.
5. Remove data notes by clicking on “Edits and notes” button and selecting the trash can icon. Note: data notes will not write back to your datasource.

FAQ

Will data edits change the data stored in my database?

Equals will never write back changes to your database, data edits will only persist in the sheet where they have been enabled.

How do I know what to use as an identifier?

In order to set up notes or edits, you'll need to specify a unique id. This unique id should be a value that does not have duplicates in the column. Equals will provide a warning if an id specified is not unique. If notes or edits are applied when using a non-unique id, that note/edit will apply to all instances where that id is present.

Can I use data edits and notes simultaneously on the same sheet?

Yes, you can use both data edits and notes simultaneously on the same sheet. By specifying a unique identifier column for both edits and notes, you can ensure that modifications and annotations persist accurately alongside the data without interference.